# "Atheist/Agnostic" as a religious category

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-agnostic-as-a-religious-category/679399>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [January 21, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-agnostic-as-a-religious-category/679399 "2014-01-21T21:43:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 6

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**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-agnostic-as-a-religious-category/679399/101 "2014-01-24T15:49:25Z")

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So just exactly what are you if you are totally confused about all of this religious stuff?

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**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-agnostic-as-a-religious-category/679399/102 "2014-01-24T16:10:05Z")

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Why do atheists care how agnostics self-identify? There is no practical difference between the two, and it takes a certain amount of dogmatic thinking to find fault in siding with one label versus another.

The self-identified agnostic catches flak because he’s isn’t validating those who see themselves as atheist. Look, I get it. This is nothing new. Bisexuals are looked down upon homosexuals the same way. And some black folks bristle at the so-called biracial identity. Stigmatized minorities have a tendency to attack those they perceive as fence-sitters because they are sensitive to anything that remotely looks like an attempt to curry favor with the majority.

We get it already! Just let it go. None of us believe in God and thus will thrown into the furnance when its all said and done. Crying because someone else attaches a minor disclaimer to their atheism only makes you look insecure in your own beliefs.

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**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-agnostic-as-a-religious-category/679399/103 "2014-01-24T18:32:05Z")

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> [@Gyrate](#):
>
> Also, that would make him an “aatheistist”.

I don’t believe in them. That makes me an “aaatheistist”.

And it’s a’s all the way down.

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**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-agnostic-as-a-religious-category/679399/104 "2014-01-24T20:27:38Z")

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> [@BubbaDog](#):
>
> So just exactly what are you if you are totally confused about all of this religious stuff?

Unitarian.

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**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-agnostic-as-a-religious-category/679399/105 "2014-01-25T17:58:09Z")

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> [@andros](#):
>
> Well, you’re a bigger man than I.

Bigger definition in any event.

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**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2014, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/atheist-agnostic-as-a-religious-category/679399/106 "2014-01-25T21:16:24Z")

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> [@andros](#):
>
> Sure they are.

You can’t know that.

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